Career Intentions in Anatomy: Perspectives of final-year medical students at St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Ifakara, Tanzania
1 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
2 Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
3 Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania.
Research Article
Open Access Research Journal of Science and Technology, 2025, 14(02), 100-106.
Article DOI: 10.53022/oarjst.2025.14.2.0099
Publication history:
Received on 24 June 2025; revised on 29 July 2025; accepted on 01 August 2025
Abstract:
Background: Globally, there is a shortage of healthcare professionals specializing in Anatomy. This shortage has implications, as a decline in field specialists may hinder the quality of future medical education. This study, therefore, aimed to assess the interest, influencing factors, and perceived barriers related to specializing in Anatomy among fifth-year medical students at St. Francis University College of Health and Allied Sciences (SFUCHAS).
Methodology: The study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design in which 111 fifth-year medical students were conveniently recruited. Mean and standard deviation were used to summarize continuous variables, while frequencies and percentages were used to summarize categorical variables.
Results: The study involved 111 fifth-year medical students (mean age 25.9 ± 3.13 years; 64.86% female). While a significant majority (81.98%) would recommend Anatomy specialization to peers, only 28.83% expressed personal interest in pursuing it. A larger proportion was neutral (38.74%) or not interested (32.43%), with less than half (45.05%) considering Anatomy as a viable career option. Key barriers discouraging specialization were identified as financial concerns (59.46%) and limited job opportunities (58.56%). Lack of mentorship (47.75%) and perceived low prestige (38.74%) were also notable challenges. Factors influencing the decision to specialize included career opportunities (66.67%), work-life balance (60.36%), and intellectual satisfaction (60.36%).
Conclusion: This study reveals a critical paradox among final-year medical students at SFUCHAS: while Anatomy specialization is widely recommended to peers, personal interest and perceived career viability remain low. The primary deterrents are financial constraints and perceived scarcity of job opportunities, among others. However, positive drivers like career prospects, intellectual satisfaction, work-life balance, and mentor influence highlight potential leverage points. Addressing the identified barriers, particularly through creating sustainable career pathways, financial support structures, and robust mentorship programs, is essential to attract more graduates to Anatomy specialization in Tanzania to mitigate the critical global shortage of Anatomy educators.
Keywords:
Perception; Anatomy Course; Specialization; Medical Students; Career
Full text article in PDF:
Copyright information:
Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0